Not so, says Christian Heim, LBC brew master. Heim said Thursday the brewery's troubles are ones for which any business would kill.

The problem is caused by too many customers and the challenge of keeping up with demand. The brewery's workers, 14 fermentation tanks and two mash tuns are strained to capacity attempting to meet ever-increasing demand.

"Everybody said it's a great problem to have, but I have to admit it is taxing," Heim said.

Heim even heard Thursday night a rumor had circulated suggesting the brewery had labor problems.

"No one's walked off the job, but every day I feel like walking off," joked Heim. "We're very busy."

Heim said the introduction in April 2005 of Hop Hog Indian Pale Ale, sales of which improved 70 percent in a few months to make it Lancaster Brewing's No. 1 beer, has caused supply problems.

"It went right to the top for us. It's a popular style right now -- real hoppy, higher alcohol," Heim said.

To keep up with demand, Lancaster Brewing Co. recently outsourced some of its brewing contracts to the Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre.

"We're behind because we've got so much demand for our product, so we shopped out the Hop Hog. Tomorrow we're picking up the first load," Heim said Thursday.

Lancaster Brewing ceased brewing Hop Hog in Lancaster about six weeks ago and has just about depleted its inventory, Heim said.

"I'm sure distributors are having trouble getting beer from our wholesaler," Heim said. "But tomorrow we'll see the fruits of getting this beer contracted (out)."

Lancaster Brewing also produces specialty beers it serves at the Walnut Street Grill in its operation at 302 N. Plum St.

Along with the strain of meeting demand for Hop Hog, Lancaster Brewing has periodically struggled to keep up with other products. It also bottles Strawberry Wheat, Amish 4-Grain Ale, Milk Stout and Gold Star Pils.

"We've had rolling outages of different products," Heim said. "We're never completely out of beer, but we might not always have what someone's looking for."

Heim said the logistic issues -- its distributor, Sheffer Beer Distributing Co. in York, is 25 miles from downtown Lancaster -- can cause headaches getting Lancaster Brewing products to businesses only blocks away from the brewery.

"As ridiculous as it is, if you buy our beer at The Pressroom (Restaurant), that beer was packaged here, shipped to York warehouses and then brought back to Lancaster after the Pressroom orders it," Heim said.

Contact Pat Burns at pburns@lnpnews.com. blog comments powered by Disqus